A liquid crystal composition containing at least one liquid crystal compound having a polymerizable functional group (hereinafter, such a composition is referred to as a “polymerizable liquid crystal composition,” and such a compound is referred to as a “polymerizable liquid crystal compound”) can be uniformly oriented in the liquid crystalline state and then exposed to active energy rays such as ultraviolet rays while the liquid crystalline state is maintained, so that an optically anisotropic film can be formed containing a polymer in which the oriented structure of the liquid crystal molecule is semi-permanently fixed. The polymer obtained in this manner is anisotropic in its physical properties such as refractive index, dielectric constant, magnetic susceptibility, elastic modulus, and coefficient of thermal expansion. For example, therefore, the polymer can be used to form shaped products having optical anisotropy, such as retardation plates, polarizing plates, polarizing prisms, brightness enhancement films, low-pass filters, various optical filters, optical fiber coating materials, waveguides, piezoelectric devices, and nonlinear optical devices. Other properties than the anisotropy are also important for the optically anisotropic products obtained by polymerization (polymers). Such properties include polymerization rate, polymer transparency, dynamic strength, coatability, solubility, crystallinity, shrink properties, water permeability, water absorbing capacity, melting point, glass transition point, clearing point, chemical resistance, heat resistance, etc.
Patent Literatures 1 to 5 disclose image displays produced using polymerizable liquid crystal compounds. However, these literatures merely disclose polymerizable liquid crystal compounds that can emit light by themselves or can improve color purity when used together with fluorescent materials, and do not disclose or suggest the polarized light-emitting device produced using a polymerizable liquid crystal compound and a colorant according to the invention.
Patent Literature 6 discloses a system for indicating the authenticity of an article by detecting polarized fluorescent or phosphorescent radiation emitted from a fluorescent material upon illumination. Patent Literature 7 discloses an optical component protected from counterfeiting using an oriented fluorescent dye. However, these literatures do not disclose or suggest the polarized light-emitting device produced using a polymerizable liquid crystal compound and a colorant according to the invention.